Sovereign Keyblades Chapter 08 Keyblades and Rosaries
by megan.j.mcdaniel
Summary: Trinity Blood? YES! Must have my beloved Tovaras, Abel Nightroad. Out of all the anime I have watched, Abel fits my own character aka me from my story concept perfectly. They both have gone through literal Hell, and they take a real form as a mark of their sins as a result. What is more perfect? There is a reference to Hellsing in this also, which is a side story I may add in later


Keyblades and Crusnik 02

I run through the back alleyway, my boots splashing through the puddles collecting in the streets from the pouring rain. Lightning forks through the sky, casting shadows across my vision. I can see that many more of the enemy pursue me over the rooftops, clearly not bothering to hide themselves to my presence. I just keep running, my air coming out in hard pants as I flee. Again I wonder at why these vampires have taken such an interest in me, my feet pounding over the streets as I keep running. _Okay, the Heartless I get that they want me destroyed. But vampires I've never openly ticked off is another matter. Maybe that occultist that Lupin and I tangled with really was involved with the Orgulho Magisters like I guessed. But I can think about that after I'm safe, question is where would I be safe to run to?_ I jump a fence surrounding a grand cathedral, rolling through the cemetary and almost toppling a few headstones in the process. I pick myself up to charge into the cathedral, the water from my boots leaving a wet trail behind me. I slow to a brisk walk as I head into the main part of the cathedral, the stained glass windows majestic as they gleam from the lightning dancing outside. I note there are still a few lit candles in the nook on the far end of the chapel, and I take a moment to point my fingers and light one with Fire magic. I whisper to the air, "Bless my soul, O Lord. For I have greatly sinned during my struggles. I ask of thee but one request. Keep my loved ones safe as I continue this, my given mission under your stewardship. May the darkness be quelled and the shadows banished, both from the world as well as my heart. I ask this by your loving grace, O Lord." Before I can finish I hear someone from the shadowed end of the room give an "Amen."

I whip myself around to face where the voice came from, "ACK! Who's there?! Show yourself!" Out from the shadows steps a priest, a tall man with glasses and long white hair pulled back in a ponytail. I openly stare, my hormones catching ablaze at the mere sight of him. His smile is warm and inviting as he walks towards me, laughing slightly as he says, "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to startle you. When I heard someone come in, I wanted to see who was here this late at night." I give a huff of air at this, "It's fine, I'm just jumpy from having to run all the way here. But you must hide yourself, Father. The darkness comes on wings of due speed. Those vampires that chased me here will kill you along with me should they find you." The priest frowns at this, concern evident in his eyes. "That sounds most troubling. What would the vampires be chasing a lone young woman like you for?" I walk forward to take him by the arm, "Long story on that. Forgive my boldness, but I have to hide you. I'd rather not have you caught up in my mess. Just please, get away while there's still a chance!" I hear a loud banging noise come from the front doors, and we both look to see a large fist sized mark in it. I grab the priest tight to hurry him to the confessional, "Hurry! I swear to you, I won't let them hurt you! Now hide yourself in here, quickly!" I shove him gently into the confessional, while he tries to tell me something. But I whip out my Keyblade and lock him in, the door to the confessional rattling as he tries to get out. I tell him shortly, "Stay in there and stay alive, Father. If you must pray, do so silently so they don't hear you." He looks at me through the window of the door, "Wait, you haven't told me your name?" I blink at this, then I give him a smile. "Megan, Father. My name is Megan Jo Mawdesley." He smiles back at me, "Ah, a child of light. Though the pearl refrence would suit just as well." I give a chuckle at this, "Thanks for that. And what name are you known by Father, so I might pray for your safety in return?" He looks surprised, but laughs at this, "Oh yes, of course. I am Father Abel Nightroad, child of light." My grin alights my face at the warmth in his eyes, "May the Lord keep you safe, Father Abel. Do forgive me for putting you in danger. Now please, just stay quiet in here so you don't get noticed when-"

The front doors to the cathedral burst open, wood splintering at the impact that forced them loose. One door even comes off the hinges to crash to the side, and multiple vampires walk into the cathedral. I back away from the confessional and bring my Keyblade out in front of me. Some of the vampires crawl along the ceiling, a few hop across the pews towards me, but most come down the open aisle. The ringleader looks to be a nobleman, puffy sleeves with cufflinks and a long tapered suitcoat. I back up the stairs to the altar and set my bag down to say, "Well then, I would applaud your eagerness to attend mass this late. But I think the sentiment would be wasted on those clearly intent at bloodshed. My biggest question is, who would have convinced you to actively pursue me, followed by how much they promised you in exchange for my death?" The ringleader laughs, a harsh bark of a noise that erupts from full and pouty lips. He casually runs his hands through his shoulderlength hair, the red highlights apparent in the mixed blonde. His eyes gaze at me with a predatory gleam, the blue icy and glittering with sinful mirth. "What does it matter? You will be far to dead to care, shortly. Though my sister recieved a generous payment for your death, my reward for doing this errand is to have my way with you. We were already pursuing a few assassin priests that the Vatican decided to send after our operation. But getting an added bonus for you was to good to pass up, even if you aren't from the Vatican State Special Service division." I cock my head at this as he continues, "I was rather excited to hear I could hunt the fabled Crusnik and the equally fabled Gunslinger, but neither have shown themselves. Oh well, maybe they might take more of an interest if I put on a show? Like hanging your violated flesh from the top of this cathedral and setting it ablaze. I just love dramatics, and the idea is just to good to pass up!" I flinch at this,"Well, I'll give you points for brazen originality. But I have no intention of being easy prey. I know about the rumors on those two, and you look to be a pathetic wannabe looking to get bragging rights for something far beyond your talents." The smile dissapears from the nobleman's mouth, replaced by snarling fanged teeth. He glares at me as he barks, "And what would a harlot terran know about power?!" I snicker at this, "If your contractor didn't give you my own title of Grand Magus, you're obviously ignorant as well as superficial. I am of magic, and therefore I AM power!"

The nobleman freezes, as do a few of the other vampires in the room. Many get looks of fear, but the nobleman stares at me. He takes a moment to really look at me, noting my Paceweaver and my outfit. He runs a hand over his features, "Not possible. The Grand Magus is a masterful sorceress, even feared among the Methuselah! We were told to hunt down and kill the Key Bearer, a young woman around sixteen in appearance. Curling waves of hair, eyes of spring green, and a fearless disposition with a weapon shaped like a large key. Granted, much of the intel about the Grand Magus sounded like garbage. I mean come on, blue tattoos and wings of an angels bearing, I'll admit I'm highly skeptical. But tell me little terran, are you a mere nuisance or are you much more?" I laugh at him, long and loud as my aura alights to the air. My amusement is clear as the scent of lavender teases the air around me, then I fuel even more of my aura to trace the blue along my flesh. The tattoos become evident across my frame, then my wings erupt from my back in a display of colorful diamond hues. The nobleman backs up a few steps as I lift off the stairs, hovering slightly as I tell him, "Appearances can be so deceiving, can't they? Your information is lacking if your employer didn't tell you the Grand Magus and the Key Bearer are one and the same. I shall give you one chance, out of mercy. Flee now and harm no other living soul ever again, or perish here tonight in the presence of the Almighty who gifted me this power. The choice is yours." The nobleman frowns at me, shifting his weight to the other foot as he takes in my offer. But he just snorts at this, "Hardly! I enjoy proving myself to being superior to you terran far to much to be cowed by one! Plus, we have the added bonus of the Heartless! After all this time, the world will be ours for the tasting! I'll delight in plucking your wings, Grand Magus! ATTACK!" The vampires on the ceiling jump down at me, shrieking as they descend. I give a sigh before I point a finger at the closest one, "Your funeral pyre, shall I then alight, returning your remnants to the shadows from whence you came."

The vampire bursts into searing flames, screaming for a moment before turning to dust. The next two I whack away from me with the Keyblade, giving little effort in my movements. I then point to both vampires and they burst into flames to leave scorch marks on the floor. The nobleman goes wide eyed as I stare at him, our eyes locked as the other vampires that tried to jump at me scurry back into the pews. He trembles as a few of the other vampires get bold, running to throw punches at me. I block them and then send them sailing, their bodies aflame to land amongst the pews, causing quite a commotion as they fall on their fellows. I give the nobleman a sigh, "You gonna try your hand yet, or are your lemmings going to do all the grunt work while you cower in front of me?" He growls at me before tilting back his head to scream, the Heartless popping in by the multitudes at the sound. I fling myself back as an Invisible tries to cleave me in half with it's blade, then I throw myself to the side to avoid another vampire who tried coming up from behind me. The vampire takes the blow from the blade of the Invisible, half her head getting sliced off at an odd angle. The rest of them descend on me like locusts, but I activate my Armor Seal and my armor comes to encase my frame in a flurry of lights. My Paceweaver sings through the air as I whip out my two kodachi blades out of my bag. I dance around the altar to pivot and slash with the kodachi, my Keyblade twirling in the air around me to strike out on it's own. Vampires and Heartless alike are destroyed or shredded, blood and swaths of shadow spraying in the mayhem. I bring the fight away from the confessional, where I see the priest watching me intently through the window. I push myself to my limits, giving everything I have to end the threat these monsters pose to the innocence man that just happened to be here. I slash and stab and weave magic into the air, destroying my enemies and slicing limbs as I move. A few Heartless try to dive bomb me from above, but I cast a Blizzard spell on them to send them crashing into the vampires. I can't spot the nobleman, but I'm sure he's still here, more than likely watching the carnage unfold from a safe distance.

Finally the last vampire falls, and I stomp on the remnants of his skull to finish him. I'm drenched in blood and am huffing with emphasis. I go down on one knee as I pant out, "Well if anything, that was a good cardio regiment for me." I hear the nobleman snicker somewhere in the rafters. "Indeed. I'm surprised you haven't keeled over dead from the way your heart is pounding. But now that the masses have thinned, I'm noting we aren't alone like I thought." I freeze to turn towards the confessional, and fear laces through me. I drop my kodachi to grip my Paceweaver and point it at the door to the confessional, unlocking it to scream, "FATHER! HIGHTAIL IT!" The priest comes tumbling out just as the nobleman lands on top of the confessional, crushing the entire box as if he was ten times his weight. Father Abel scrambles away as I get in front of him, my Keyblade pointed at the nobleman as he glares at us. I note his skin has changed, from alabaster white to a metalic silver hue. The priest stands behind me, his hands on my wing as he whispers, "This doesn't look good, does it?" I steel myself, taking my free hand to keep him behind me. "I won't let him have you, Father! He has to kill me first! I'll delay him for you to run, just get out of here! Don't stop running until you get to a safe place! HURRY, GO!" I charge the nobleman, my shout drowning out the priest as I swing my weapon around with both hands. But the nobleman catches my Paceweaver, holding it as easily as if it were wood. I hover in the air as I try to wrench my weapon out of his grip, but he just laughs. His fist goes right into my middle like a cannonball to my front, driving the air from me and I hear a distinct snap. My Keyblade winks out of my hands as I go crashing into the altar, my shoulder dislocating on impact. I scramble onto my feet, only to nearly fall over as my armor winks away and the Armor Seal lands at my feet. My eyes water as the pain sears through me, my nose and mouth dripping red as the nobleman looks at me, "From what I just heard, your rib just splintered and your left arm is now useless." I hack and spit red out of my mouth, "Good thing I'm not a lefty." He throws his head back and cackles at me. "You have such spunk, I like that terran. They never told us you were so skilled at carnage, such grand displays of slaughter. If you were more than common terran stock, I could claim to have fallen in love!" I snicker at this idea, even though the effort hurts like blazes. "Too bad for you. I'd rather not have a third suitor like you on my dance card." He quirks an eyebrow at me. "You have two lovers? Such a shameful prospect. Though they did mention two gunmen you-" I scream at him, "DON'T EVEN THINK IT! YOU WILL NEVER TOUCH THEM!" I take a step forward, only to collapse to my knees as the agony in my chest becomes tenfold.

I realize I can hear air escaping from my side, so I start healing myself with what magic I have left. My aura tints the air with bitter agony, but I close my eyes to concentrate. The nobleman snickers, walking up the stairs to kneel in front of me. He puts his hand to lift my chin up slightly, running his thumb over my lip. "If only you could follow through on that claim. But the air leaking from your punctured lung is a testament to how done you are. It was quite the display you gave me, a joy to watch the blood spray over this stage like raindrops. Don't worry your pretty head, you won't be alive long enough to suffer much at my tender mercies." He leans down to lick the blood from my mouth, then presses his lips to mine to suck on my busted lip. His tongue delves into my mouth as I cough up more red, his pleasure apparent as he moans out, "Such a bittersweet flavor you have, I very well might be in love after all. But you lack that wonderful note of fear in your taste, and such will not do for such a fine morsel." His hand strikes to delve his fingers into my front, cracking my sternum and twisting his fingers in the wounds. I scream with what air I have left as my wings come apart to have the feathers fade as they fall away from me. I grab at his arm to get him to let go and he laughs, "Now we're getting somewhere, your fear is apparent now. Is that all it takes to scare you, little terrran? The idea of my fingers ripping your heart out, all for me to enjoy like a candy coated apple? What a grand notion that is. Your heart will be mine to savor, then the rest of you before I kill that priest." My eyes fly open in terror as my eyes leak, but then I see someone standing at the doors of the cathedral with guns drawn. Bullets start pelting the nobleman in a brutal onslaught, a shout coming from his lips as he lets me go. I fall to the floor to roll away from him, tumbling down the stairs as the gunman empties both magazines. My hair flows out around my head when I come to a stop at the bottom of the stairs as Father Able leans over me. I shiver at the close call, then I close my eyes to try patching the hole in my lung. Father Abel props me up as he shouts, "I've got her, Tres! Keep that monster busy!" I hear the gunman reload to exclaim, "Affirmative, Father Nightroad. Though such punishment does not bode well for the woman. I estimate her chances at survivial are-" I growl out, "Stuff the statistics and keep shooting!"

More shots ring out as Father Abel places a white kerchief to my face, wiping away the red as he tells me, "Just look at the mess you've made of yourself. Isn't the gentlemen supposed to defend the lady?" I chuckle at him, but wince as more air escapes from my side. Father Abel frowns at this as I huff out, "I'm not... nor have I ever been... a prissy lady... Are you... hurt at all...?" He smiles at me, sadness replacing the warmth in his eyes, "You would ask me that now? You're halfway to heaven and you would worry over me?" I nod and then close my eyes to concentrate, lavender once again taking to the air as I try closing the hole in my side. "It is who... I am at heart... Besides... I have a bit... of magic left... to fix this puncture... Just give me... one more second..." I grip the front of his robes with shaking fists, the effort to heal the damage to my insides making me shiver all over. Abel holds me by my shoulders as my magic laces through me to heal the damage completely. I give a ragged full breath of air once I've finished, and Father Able puts a startled hand to where the hole was. "It really worked?! Thank the Lord! I was starting to think you were too far gone!" I nod and lurch to my feet, resetting my shoulder with a hard snap. "I'm not going to roll over dead without a fight, Father Abel. Now to the matter of the fight that your friend Tres took over." I note how the gunman hasn't actually hurt the nobleman, only ticked him off at the interruprion. They move and dance around, each shot hitting it's mark on both sides of the fight. I then realize the gunman isn't just bleeding, but is sparking slightly where he's been hit. My eyes adjust and I see the wires and circuitry and say, "Huh. Been awhile since I've seen a setient automaton. Though he's jerking a bit too much as he moves for my taste." My hand comes up to press over where the nobleman drove his fingers, Father Abel gently putting his hands on my shoulders. "You shouldn't be standing. Let Tres-" I look at him and retort with vehemence, "That monster is not phased one bit by those bullets and you know it! His skin is like metal, bullets and swords will do no good! Our best bet is fire, ice or lightning, so that means me! Now you can argue or you can help, which will it be?!"

Father Abel blinks at this, then frowns at me and nods. I go to move, but he tells me something that freezes me in my tracks, "Let me handle this then. I'm quite certain there's enough blood over the chapel for me to use for this." I whirl around to see the look on his face, his eyes starting to glow blood red. My eyes widen in realization and I whisper, "Wait a minute… Vatican AX Agent Crusnik?! You're the bane of the Nosferatu, the black angel that summons forth lightning and terror to the accursed?! Holy crap, that means Tres is Gunslinger!" He nods as he changes, his wings of black night unfolding and I take in the sight of him with awe. I blink and then bring a hand up to my face, laughing at my ignorance. "Sheesh! And here I thought you needed my protection! Boy, do I feel like an idiot to be considerably humbled! I'm sorry I thought you so meek. My apologies dark and lovely angel." Though his face has changed slightly and his hair lifts up to flow behind his head, he looks surprised at my words. "What did you call me?" I laugh to tell him, "I called you an angel, I was aiming for an appropriate compliment for you and this new look. Would you prefer merciful raven, Father Abel? I could come up with a few more if you like, I've been told I am a skilled wordsmith." He looks stunned at my words and I give him a warm smile. "By the look on your face, you didn't expect me to say any of that. You probably believe yourself to be a monster, but that is not what I see. I believe that a good man is recognized by what is in his heart, Father Abel. I see no evil in you or in your appearance, you are just another beloved soul of the Lord God Almighty. If you had truly been wicked or evil, you would have hurt me long before the nobleman burst in. You are not a monster, Father Abel. You are simply different, and that is not nor has it ever been a damnable sin to be punished for."

I bring out my Keyblade again, though the effort has me huffing out air, and I tell him, "There was a pole that fell from the ceiling earlier. We let lightning flow down through an impaled target, it's fried no matter how much armor they've got. I'll move him into position and get the pole into him. Tres should play back up should I get squished, he's jerking to much to be able to have reliable targeting. You provide the storm and fry the guy with all the juice you can get from the leftovers in the room." I flip my Paceweaver around and continue, "I left my bag at the altar, there's medicines and such with labels and directions inside should I keel over. Ready, set, GO!" I charge before Father Abel can argue, moving around to pelt the nobleman with Fire spells in the back of his head. He turns to snarl at me, "I thought you'd be too far gone to cause trouble!" Tres backs away to reload and stand by as Abel moves, his blood scythe gaining substance in his hands and arching in a deadly swing. But the vampire ducks out of the way just in time to avoid injury, so I take my chance and charge to get up in his face. I dance and weave him around to stand us in the center of the chapel, though I can barely keep up with his speed. I stomp on the pole underneath us just as I bring all my power to slug him with my good arm. The nobleman goes sailing upwards, the pole spinning up into the air. I grab it with my good hand, twirling it's momentum with me before I jam it into the ground. Just as he comes down onto the pole, I roll away and he hits hard enough to leave a slight crater in the ground. I feel lightning dance in the air, making my hair stand on end at the intensity of the charge. Then a bolt of immense voltage comes down through the pole and the nobleman screams before the thunder drowns him out.

Once the smoke clears, I slide down to see if he's dead or not. The nobleman is quite crispy, but he still snarls out threats at us even though his armor is gone. Blood flows to make a small pool in the crater, and I look up to Tres to ask him, "You need him alive by chance?" Tres points his gun and tells me, "Negative. Though should you have need to question him, it is advised you say so now." I nod at him and say, "His sister might not be forthcoming with whoever hired them to kill me. So I'd like the Vatican to help me find that out, pretty please." Tres blinks at this, then holsters his gun to say, "Affirmative. We shall then take this one in for questioning. But you will also need to be taken into protective custody, should you wish assistance from the Vatican. Is this acceptable?" I nod but get an idea, coming around to lift my foot as I say, "Well if that's the case, let's make sure he can't run away on us." I bring my foot down on his knee and it gives a definitive pop, making him shout as I then do the same to the other leg. I bend his legs the wrong way and tie them in place, making him scream and curse before I conk him in the head to knock him out. Tres just stares at me and I huff out, "So I have a ruthless side, sue me! He intended on ripping my front open to feast on my insides! I'm gonna take it personal and I'm sure you'd rather have him immobile for the trip!" Tres nods at this to comment, "The method is unorthodox, but will achieve that result. Such actions are acceptable." I growl out, "Peachy. If it was up to me though, his legs would be bow ties!" Tres lifts the vampire up to fling him over his shoulder, then walks out as I collapse into one of the pews. My air comes out in pants as I put a hand over my heart where blood still leaks, fear making me tremble at my close call.

I fall back into the pew and exclaim, "Okay, that was way to close! Without a doubt, worst scare I've had in years! Candy coated apple, criminitelty! My heart may be broken, but it isn't a dessert for a Methuselah to munch on like a treat! Is it all right if I have a breakdown now, please?!" Abel walks over to sit next to me in the pew, his wings making it a little difficult to lean back as I look up at him with tears in the corner of my eyes. He looks down at me with eyes like shining rubies and I give a mild sob before I tell him, "If it's all right with you, Father Abel, you mind doing something for me?" I reach a hand up towards him and he takes it to say, "What did you need me to do for you?" I squeeze his hand as I say, "If I try and stay composed for one moment longer, I'll go nuts. Since my two Tovaras aren't here at the moment, you mind being my pillar of stability?" He looks in my eyes, noting the look on my face and he says, "Not at all, though I'd think you'd wait until I changed back into-" I move over the pew to throw myself at him, clutching his front tight as I exclaim, "The only monster I saw was the one who nearly ripped me open! I didn't get scared for myself until his fingers were in my chest! My worst fear, and he nearly- He was going to- Oh God, that was-" My entire body trembles as my fear consumes me, the tears spilling over my face as I start crying. Abel doesn't hesitate a moment longer, putting his arms around me to hug me tight as I sob into his front. Though his nails are shaped like claws, his touch gently traces a hand over my head in sympathy. "You really were scared at his threat, weren't you? Yet you don't seem the least bit fearful of me. And here I thought humans would no longer surprise me." I give a short laugh at this to state between sobs, "I've been around the block a few times, Crusnik. I've been so many places and seen so many bizarre things, your visage is more normal to me than you may realize. But it's been quite a while since I've gotten this terrified! I forgot what it feels like to fear what someone would do to me! Just- just give me- give me a few more minutes like this. I haven't- haven't had someone to lean on for a while, and it's taxing to stay strong all the time. For the moment, let me show weakness."

Abel actually smiles at this, though the sadness in his eyes doesn't diminish. He hugs me all the closer, resting my head against his shoulder to whisper into my hair, "By all means, child of light. Take as much time as you need." I close my eyes as tears continue to trace down my face, my arms coming around him to hug him back as I say to him, "Thank you, Father. Thank you so much." I keep sobbing into his front as I tremble all over, my air coming in hard drags as I cry. Before I know it, Father Abel begins to pray. His words drift into the air and pierce through my terror, touching my very soul with blessed light. I give my own voice to the air in prayer, giving myself to God in communion. My terror slowly dissipates as the presence of the Holy Spirit cleanses me of my strife. The touch of His divine love banishes my fear and makes me whole once again. I give a grateful sigh at this freeing sensation, then my eyes open to look into Father Abel's face. His appearance has shifted back, his hair loose since it had come out of it's ribbon earlier. I feel a blush spread over my face, and I note the look of concern in his blue-grey eyes. He actually puts a hand to my forehead to ask me, "Are you all right, Megan? You've gone really red. Do you have a fever?" I burst out laughing. "DUH! I'm being held by a very attractive man with beautiful long white hair, eyes that are the perfect shade, and a voice that melts over me like liquid ambrosia! I'd be lying if I said my hormones didn't take notice!" This gets Abel to sputter profusely, and I snuggle up to him as he shouts, "Wha- You- I am a priest, young lady!" I snort at this bit to state, "Like that matters, sexy is sexy in my book. You should try to get a side job as a model for romance books. I'm sure they'd fly off the shelves!" He squacks at this to sputter out half formed sentences, and I snicker at this all the more. "What- You- I- I cannot believe that- We are in a church! The house of God, and you-" I put my fingers to his lips to shush him. "Wouldn't it be more of a sin to lie, then? Relax and take a breath. Just because I feel you're attractive does not mean I'm going to pursue it. I'm aware the feelings will not be mutual, I've seen what I look like in the mirror, if not what lies underneath the surface. As far as I'm concerned and what I've done, I'm more of a monster than you will ever be!"

I get up and off of him, walking away a bit to let that sink in. Father Abel just stares at me, and I confess the one thing I've never voiced to anyone. "I have willingly thrown myself into war just for the sake of killing. To make those that harm the innocent suffer and die, if only to alleviate my own pains. I did so with abandon, to lose myself to the numbness. I wanted to drag those that delighted in darkness through the same tortures they inflicted on others, and would have dragged them all into Hell behind me!" I turn to look at him, and my voice is flat, "You are not the only sinner in this room, Abel! I destroyed whole ways of life amongst the stars in the universe. One moon that was an entire colony, and a planet left so destitute by my actions it was rendered uninhabitable! I did that with great enthusiasm at the copoius amounts of misery and scarlet shed in the process! I helped lay entire worlds to waste, to satisfy a hunger to kill with reckless abandon! Those ghosts have every right to their vengence! I was a monster, a deity of carnage! My very title during that time was Dark Slaughter, the reaping maiden of the Sovereign War! Look at what form I wear now, for it is just the recent! You have shown to me the mark of your sins, I believe I should reciprocate to make my point clear!" My aura roars over me, my wings blooming from my back as they shift in color. What was once the shine of diamond takes on the hue of dark crimson. My nails sharpen into points, and my teeth shift to allow fangs to descend. My eyes are the most noticeable change, going completely black the moment I blink. Abel stares at me with a look of stunned silence, and I flex my wings to hover in the air as a few drops of red drip off my feathers. I open my arms in a careless gesture, my voice echoing in shadowed intonations like a spectre of the underworld. "Gaze now fully into this void and desloate shell. Is this any different than your own sin, Father Abel Nightroad? Of fusing with the Kudlak Bacillus to turn yourself in a living weapon? I know more about you than what most do, how you have lived for nearly ten centuries. I am certain you have racked up as high a death count as I have over such long length of evident purgatory. If anything, yours might be one of the few that beats mine. But out of all the truths that have carved themselves upon my flesh and soul, it is this one undeniable truth that I will never doubt or deny!" I touch back down to the ground, my wings receeding and the nails losing their edge as my eyes shift back to their natural color. I still have the fangs, so my voice does come out a bit garbled. "Ack! It takes a few hours for these teeth to go away, so I'm going to sound funny for a while. But don't let that take away from this next bit. Someone reminded me of a very important fact, that there is no limit on mercy. The Lord didn't die for a handful of sins for each person. He wiped them all clean, every sin and every stain in all of existence, from the beginning of creation until the hands of time wind fully down. Not for a few sins, but EVERY SIN! All of them Abel, every single last one. Think of it in that sense, and it seems a bit redundant to think our faults compare to all the sins of existence. It's a drop in the bucket, and takes a bit of the weight off the burden to make approaching the Lord in penance a bit easier to do."

I walk back over and lean my head forward to stare into Abel's eyes, my smile warming my face and my tone lighter as I say, "I'm quite certain you don't want me beating myself up over my mistakes, so what makes you think I want you to do so in turn? You grieve over your errors, you wish with all you have and feel to make some form of ammends, and you would torture yourselve in penance for the rest of your days. I think I should share with you another truth I have found to go with the first. Yeshuah forgave you long ago Abel, it's your own forgiveness that yet eludes you. But God isn't the only one who forgives you for your mistakes." I hold out my hands and take his in mine, squeezeing them lightly as I finish. "So without futher ado, I will make my last point perfectly clear. Father Abel Nightroad, beloved child of God. I, Megan Jo Mawdesley, your sister in Christ, forgive you of all your sins. In this may your burdens be lifted, and a friendship formed between us in turn. May the slate be wiped clean for you to begin anew, and all their burdens be lifted from your heart and soul." I lean forward even more and give him a quick peck on the forehead, his eyes unfocused and his grip in my hands goes completely slack. I nuzzle my forehead to his to get his attention, and he blinks a few times to look into my eyes. I grin at him, my laugh pealing lightly between us and tell him, "Abel, take a breath already. Or you'll fall over onto the floor. I'd rather not get smited by Tres if I have to, and me leaning over you to breathe for you would give him the wrong impression with these fangs I'm sporting." I flick him gently on the nose as I say, "Besides, I'm severely tempted to kiss you regardless! Don't give me the perfect excuse to do just what my more adventurous streak is begging me for! I'm trying not to act on that, but I will most likely cave in sooner or later if only to snap you back to reality!" I lean back to sit on the back of the pew facing him, my feet swaying slightly as Abel stares at me. I snicker at the look on his face. "Well, fancy that. I've seen that look before. On my Tovaras when I told him the exact same thing about forgivenenss. He's another softhearted dunderhead, it's no wonder I feel so comfortable around you. Though you seem to be more of an ebony raven than anything else, whereas he is my lovely crimson bird." Abel shakes his head vehemently to clear it, his hair going everywhere in the process. My hormones pick up a notch at the action, and my toes curl in response. Then his smile breaks over his face, and I about melt. "It would seem you are just as unique as the reports we recieved claim, Key Bearer. Though the information on the Grand Magus profile fits more with your skills. But none of them told of how well you give sermons."

I laugh long and hard. "I'm glad for the compliment, though I have zero interest in joining the clergy. I haven't had good experiences with those that claim to do God's work in the church, when instead they only serve themselves and use God as a cover. But most of my dad's side of the family are pastors or work in the church on some level. It was my grandpa who instilled in his family our strong foundations of faith. He was the most amazing man I have ever known and loved. He radiated the Holy Spirit, like the sun gleams on a cloudless day. Though my own choice was simplified, Christianity is not a religion to me. It is a personal relationship with my Lord. No different or separate from my family or close friends. In this sense, my Lord is my best friend as well as my trusted confidant and the King of my soul. Though I'm sure most days He'd like to lightly twack me on the head for one thing or another." Abel laughs at this idea, and I give a mild shiver as he tells me, "I am certain you aren't the only one. In any event, thank you. I've never really had anyone tell me such things before. It's rather, how should I put it… refreshing… to have someone lighten the darkness I find myself sinking into." I nod in understanding as his words ring true for me also. "Guilt is a heavy weight. We aren't supposed to be able to dig ourselves out from under it on our own. It' takes two to do so, which is why the Lord gives us friends to lift us up and lighten the burden on our hearts." I hold out my hand to him, and Abel takes it. I lift him up onto his feet, but the action has me fall backwards into the pew in front of him. I give a huff as he leans over to pew. "Oh dear, are you all right?" I laugh at him to nod and say automatically, "That was my bad, I'm okay." But then Abel frowns at me to tell me, "No you most certainly are not. Your front is getting redder by the moment." I blink as my hands come up to my front, and they come back bloody. "Oh shoot! I forgot this even happened!" I tumble out of the pew to run for my bag, though I sway a little as I climb the steps to the altar. I rummage around inside my bag as Abel comes up behind me, all the while muttering under my breath, "Glue, glue, where did I put my medical glue? Guaze, tape, needle, thread, rubbing alcohal, but where's the blasted container with my medical glue?!" I start to toss some of the items in my bag out in my search, my money pouch coming open as it thunks to the floor. Wads of currency spill out and I say, "Oh rats! Grab those before they get red all over them please?" Abel just gawks at all the money that is rolling down the steps and I tell him. "Hurry or they'll get stained! If it helps motivate you, I'll gladly take you out for a meal as thanks for getting them all." He brightens at this to ask me, "Really?!" I grin at him. "Yep! Your pick of any restaurant, my treat!"

Abel hurries off like a shot, and I look back down to find the red paste I use as medical glue. I toss out the gauze and tape as I hear Abel say behind me, "Oh! I didn't think you'd be coming here as back up, Professor. Did Sister Kate bring you?" I hear someone give a chuckle and note in good humor, "Yes. It would seem you've dropped something other than your black hair ribbon, Abel. But since it's rather copious amounts of money, I'm guessing it belongs to the young lady?" I wave my hand into the air by way of greeting. "I promised him food if he got them for me, if only so he'd let me find my surgical tools in peace. Now where on earth did that container get to? I don't want to use stitches when I have medical paste for this kind of thing. I would assume you would be William Walter Wordsworth, then?" I hear someone walk up the steps to stand behind me. "Indeed I am, though I'm surprised you know of me. Are you all right, my dear?" I give a huff to tell him, "That trussed up vampire tried ripping me open earlier. I have medical glue to use, but I can't find the bottle I keep it in! I don't like sewing myself like a quilt when I don't have to! I'd like to note that your associate Tres was pretty banged up. His movements were a bit forced, like he couldn't move properly due to a malfunction. I'm guessing with all the sparks that came out of him, the circuitry leading from his processors to his limbs is having issues or the limbs themselves are shorted." I hear the Professor chuckle at my commentary, "I'm rather impressed at your analysis, but Tres is actually a cyborg and not an android like you'd think. Are you a scientist, my dear?" I find the container of red paste at last, popping the cork to then tear away the front of my shirt so I can apply the paste. "No, but my first Tovaras was an android. Granted, Tres seems to need a personality implant or something, he sure acts like an andriod to me. But I can remember times when Jayden would have issues, either due to combat or from him pushing past his limits to break himself. Heh. The stories I could tell, best left for another time." I turn around to look up at the Professor, noting the pipe in his mouth as he looks down at me. He takes one look at my front and frowns. "I'd rather you not tend that yourself, those gashes are deep." I hand him the container to grab the gauze, tape, and rubbing alcohal along with the box with my needles and threads. Then I reach into my bag and grab my lantern with oil along with a few hand towels. I light the lantern with a snap of my fingers, standing up to head over to one of the front pews. "By all means then Professor, it's better to have someone who can clearly see the wounds do this. Abel, you mind coming back over here and holding the light?"

Abel sets my money back into the pouch before coming to stand next to the Professor. I lay myself down in the front pew so that the Professor can work. Abel holds the lantern up and he flinches at the sight of my front. I close my eyes and force myself to relax as the Professor douses one of the hand towels in the rubbing alcohal. He cleans the wounds with practiced care, though I wince and tear up at the searing bite of the alcohal. He spreads the paste in the gouges before telling me, "I'm sure you only intended to use this glue, but I'd rather stitch these closed for peace of mind." I grumble and nod in consent. "Fine, there should be a hooked needle and tweezers in the case with the thread, along with scissors for the gauze. At least the glue has a numbing agent in it, so I won't be too uncomfortable." But then I hear some kind of static and both Abel and the Professor put a hand to their ear in response. I take the lantern from Abel to float it in the air above me. "I got this Abel, you go outside and update Sister Kate. Just be mindful of your words, don't let slip what I told you during confession." Abel looks down at me, nodding his head in understanding before walking off to update Sister Kate. The Professor gives me a questioning look as he starts stitching my front. "What was that about?" I close my eyes again so I can concentrate better at keeping the lantern up in the air. "Well. Father Abel had to show me the form his sin takes as the Crusnik. So I revealed a few of my own sins, if only to help us stand on equal ground with each other. Remind me later to get him a new hair ribbon, since I have no idea where the one he was wearing went." The Professor chuckles, his hands working the needle with ease. "I'm sure he has it on him, you don't need to get him a new one." But I scoff at this bit to say right away, "I never said I needed to. But I do want to get him something besides a few good meals. He's way too thin in my book, and I will insist he eats while I'm able to provide the means. Though I'll have to remember to get you and Tres something as well." He stills at this for a moment, then keeps lacing the stitches along my chest. "Huh. I take it you won't take no for an answer? So I'll request something simple, perhaps a new hankerchief? Or a scarf, since I left mine at the office and it gets rather cold this time of year." I nod and smile at this idea. "Okay by me, you can even pick it out when I take Abel for that promised dinner. Unless you'd rather I make Abel think we're on a date together."

I hear the Professor give an amused chuckle, clearly enjoying my idea. "That would be quite a sight, Abel out on a date with a curly haired maiden. I'm sure he'd never be comfortable with the notion, since the idea of having Lady Caterina catch wind of it would terrify him. But I believe it would be good for him to do so, even if it's just to make a new friend." I open one of my eyes to point out, "I'm all for that, but you didn't say whether or not you want to come along to dispell that date presumption for him. Or are you not going to answer and keep me in suspense, William?" He just smiles at me to leave my question unanswered, so I close my eyes again as Abel walks back up to us. He leans down to whisper something to the Professor I don't catch, but it makes him stop stitching my front for a moment. I give a huff at this, "I take it that wasn't meant to be shared with the class? Which reminds me, Abel should grab my binder with all my information on what I do out of my bag. I'm pretty sure the Vatican has a ton of holes in their information, so you're welcome to my notes and all the files I have. We can have a war meeting or whatever you want to call it after we get out of here and to a safer location." I hear one of them tear off a strip of the tape, placing the gauze over the stitches to tape it in place. I go to sit up, but hands keep me laying down on the pew as Abel says to me, "Don't get up. I'd rather have you lay here until we actually leave. Professor, did you get the binder?" I hear a bit of rummaging around near the altar. "Yes, I see it. But there's quite a lot of things in here. A few of the pages fell out of the binder as well. These sketches are impressive! Though the subjects in them are rather odd looking. Who are these two portraits of, my dear?" I squeak and scramble out of the pew in my haste to keep him from getting a hand on them. "STOP! Not part of the notes, fork them over!" But the Professor puts them behind his back, and I stop my advance since I can't bring myself to fight him for them. "Now now, it was a simple question. Who are these two that you would get so flustered?" I give a huffed, "Those aren't finished yet! That's my problem with you seeing them! I don't want anyone seeing those until they are done! It's shameful to have someone see a work that isn't finished, so give those back right now!"

But the Professor gives me a knowing look, as does Abel and I about explode red all over my face. "Oh all right, fine. The blonde is Vash the Stampede, my crimson bird. The other is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, my golden wolf. They are my Tovaras, the ones I cherish most. I haven't seen them for months, so I've been alleviating my loneliness working on portraits of them. The manilla envelope has more complete sketches of them, along with other friends I have made. Those you are free to view, the ones behind your back are works in progress for when I get the canvas to paint the finished composite. You ever tell either one of them this, and I will make you pay before I die of embarassment! GOT IT?!" Both of them laugh as I snatch away the portraits from the Professor, my face hot as I place the protective slips back over the portraits to keep them from being ruined. I kneel back down to my bag to place them in a specific pocket when Abel leans down behind me. "I can tell you put a lot of work into those. It shows how much they matter to you." I look right up into his eyes, his hair falling over my face in the process. I take a free hand and catch a few strands of the silver white locks. "They are all I value in this life. I want nothing else than for those whom I love to have joy and contentment. Whether I am there to share in the wonder, or am out defending them from the Heartless. It is my calling, to be a sword and shield of light to banish the darkness back to whence it came. But it is even better to have made a few more friends tonight. What happened to your ribbon, Abel? Did you lose it?" He shakes his head no, and the strands of his hair tickle my face. "I did have it in my pocket, but it ripped and I can't use it anymore." I give him a warm smile, tugging his hair playfully. "And I bet you only had the one. I'll give you a spare if you give me a certain something as compensation."

Abel stares at me with a questioning glance as I turn around to face him, and I do the one thing I've been fighting against since he walked into the room. My hands come up to hold his head still, my fingers lacing into his hair as I lightly put my lips to his. The moment I do, my entire body seems to drown in light and sunshine. He goes stock still at my boldness, and I give an audible gasp as my wings unfurl in a gleaming display of shining prisms of diamond. When I open my eyes, everything seems to glow slightly. His astonishment is evident as he stares at me, a hand coming up to touch his lips where mine had kissed him on the corner of his mouth. I absently lick my lower lip, tasting sugar and a faint trace of tea. Abel watches the motion, a blush spreading over his entire face. Then I break the silence to whisper, "That was like drinking starlight straight from the source! I haven't felt a sensation like this since Nicholas dared to kiss me for a bet! My Tovaras would have serious competition if you tried gaining my hand, Father Abel Nightroad! I honestly have half a mind to pursue you regardless of them, and that is saying something! Both of them are tied to me by intricate magic, a pact I made called Bonding of Souls! Yet, that was some other magic you used on me entirely!" I bring my hand up to tug a strand of Abel's hair, my mirth aparent as his face goes beat red. "It would seem I have been led here to find another soulmate for my broken heart. The Lord seems to enjoy surprising me in this sense. Perhaps to make up for losing my first Tovaras and the emptiness he left behind in his sacrifice." I giggle as my whole being seems to shine with vibrant colors, flicking the strand of hair to walk a few paces away from them both. I look up to the heavens to stand under another stained glass window, this one in the ceiling to cast light down to the floor. I lift myself up, my arms thrown back to hover above the floor. "Truly, such a blessing to my soul is like much needed sunshine. For what feels like the first in a lifetime, I feel no more pain in my loss or a trace of my old lingering darkness. Where once the sun was dark in mine eyes of wearied misery, I hence see the traces of hope in the dawn once again. Truly, a miracle I never believed possible." I swivel around to look back at them both, and my grin is apparent. "Thank you so much for this, Abel! I forgot what joy really feels like, joy that dispells all suffering from one's heart! I'm so grateful to you for this, I don't know how I can repay you in kind! Thank you so very much, my newfound Tovaras!"

The Professor gets a knowing smile as he smokes his pipe, but Abel walks over to stand under me. I touch back down in front of him and he notes, "Your eyes are glowing, along with the rest of you. All this from such a simple gesture?" I laugh at him to state, "It sure didn't feel simple! But I won't do that again, I know it wasn't appropriate. But it was so totally worth it!" Abel actually smiles at this news, his own laugh echoing through the cathedral. "Well, you certainly look like your namesake now. You're glowing all over and there are flecks of light coming off you as well." I bring up my hands to see that he's right, miniscule fragments like crushed glass floating away from me to drift into the air. Abel takes my hand and I eagerly wrap mine around his. He tells me with a smile as warm as his eyes, "Such a unique young woman you are, child of light. But we should get you back to our current base of operations." I nod at him in agreement, but I give a vibrant blush as I tell him, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I've made it a habit to hold nothing back, so I have no more regrets for the road not taken. Life is far to short not to take a few risks, but I am sorry if I offended you in any way." Abel shakes his head, his hair going everywhere in the process. "It's quite all right, just don't do pull that kind of stunt in front of Lady Caterina. Or I'll most likely end up six feet under." I scoff at this notion to state, "She'd have to get through me first! Granted, I'd have to hold back and not actually harm her, but there's no way I'd let her hurt my Tovaras!" Abel goes wide eyed at my declaration, and I reach into my pocket to bring out a long blue ribbon. I lead him over to the front pew I was laying on, pointing a finger to my bag to bring out my brush and have it float to me. I sit us down and start running the brush through his hair to tame it a little. Abel tosses me a question over his shoulder as i work. "Isn't it a bit too soon to call me that?" I snicker at this fact to tell him in warmth, "By all rights, isn't me kissing you when we just met a bit much as well? It's fine with me, Abel. It doesn't take me very long to get a feel for someone. And I have found nothing of fault in you or the Professor or in Gunslinger either. I know I can trust each of you, though with Tres I'll have to watch my wording on things. I get the feeling he takes things quite literally, which might be challenging since I tend to openly shoot my mouth of with sarcasm as well as blatant truth. Curbing my tongue will be quite a task, if I even bother."

I take Abel's hair and put it in a simple braid, lacing the ribbon into it to add some color. I give a sigh as I finish. "I wish my hair would grow out this long, but it only ever goes past my shoulder blades if I don't use my magic to force it to lengthen. Though when my mom straightened the curls out of it one time, it went past my shoulderblades and all the way down to my waist." I give him a pat on the back to tell him I'm done, when we hear that static noise again. The Professor answers right away. "Yes? Correct, Sister Kate. No, she hasn't. Actually, she gave us a binder full of information." I have a thought and tell him, "I have it on disk too if that helps." He looks at me, and I shrug. "I have the binder to keep everything on paper, but I have back up copies on disk just in case the binder gets destroyed. I just have to go get the disks from my Gummi Ship, which I could dock in the Iron Maiden. That way if anybody wants to keep me under confinement for observatory purposes, you have my generalized means of transportation as a show of good faith." The Professor looks impressed, giving me a thumbs up as he listens to what Sister Kate tells him on her end. He nods at what she has to say. "Yes, that was her idea. No, I didn't know she had- Now see here! I didn't give any- No, I most certainly did not give her that idea so I could tinker with- Well, yes I am curious! But that doesn't mean-" I laugh as he gets all flustered and say a bit louder for Sister Kate to hear, "I'm all for William looking over my Gummi Ship to satisfy his curiousity. Have Gunslinger meet us outside the cathedral and I'll bring us all to the Iron Maiden." All three of them go silent at my statement, but I just get up to sift through my bag for the teleporter to my Gummi Ship. I also grab my spare headset, fitting the ear buds in with a flick of a hand. I motion to Abel to come closer, and he leans down so I can tune the frequency. I keep one hand on his ear, the other on my own headset to tweak the settings. Finally, the light goes from grey to green and I test it. "Okay, it seems to be working on this end. Hello? Sister Kate, do you hear me?" I hear an audible gasp as a woman responds to me. "What?! Who is this? How did you get on this frequency?" I laugh and tell her, "I'm pulling a piggyback trick on Abel's communicator. This is Megan, the Key Bearer you know doubt received intel on last week when I showed up. I figured I should jump onto my headset so I can talk with you directly. I have no problem with bringing us to the Iron Maiden on my Gummi Ship. William is free to look the whole thing over, I have enough spare parts to build an entire new one if need be. All my data disks are on it and I can have you tell Lady Caterina I'm openly cooperating with the Vatican by surrendering my main mode of transportation. Gunslinger can keep an eye on me if anyone is worried about me being a threat. So if that's all right, I can have us to the Iron Maiden as soon as Gunslinger comes back."

I hear a slight crackle as Sister Kate responds. "Gunslinger is already here with the vampire prisoner in tow. But who was it that tied the prisoners legs like that?" I give a growl to tell her, "I did. Payback for threatening to snack on my heart like a candy coated treat! Which he was about to do when Gunslinger walked in! I'm not going to apologize for my reaction, any woman who gets assaulted like that owes the creep a backhanded slap or ten!" The Professor confirms this by telling Sister Kate, "He ripped into her chest pretty badly, Sister Kate. I'd guess her sternum is cracked along every gouge he left where he drove in his fingers. He meant to rip her open, so I won't fault Megan for getting a bit of payback. If Gunslinger is back on the Iron Maiden, we'll head back right now." Sister Kate hesitates a moment, but gives the all clear. "All right then, I'll expect a full progress report when you get here. Sister Kate out." I hear a slight beep before my headset goes back to grey for standby mode. I lightly tug on Abel's ear before I let go, flipping the teleporter in the air before I catch it. "This should be a treat to see, though I'm wondering how well the Gummi Ship will fit into the Iron Maiden. It's wingspan is pretty big after all, though I made sure it can maneuver to turn on a dinar if needed." The Professor laughs at this news to ask, "You built it yourself?" I give a nod and grin. "I had some help with the basics when I first got one, but I have made several models. A basic understanding of Gummi Ships and the Gummi Blocks one uses to make them can be inferred from the reports in the binder, along with the information about other worlds and their door leading to their center or heart. It appears that when the door leading to a world's heart is opened, the wall that protects that world collapses. Gummi Blocks then appear in said world, suggesting that the blocks are remnants of the protective wall around the world that separates it from all the others. The nature and origin of Gummi Blocks is what allows them to travel to other worlds. The Gummi Blocks that make up a Gummi Ship are elastic and rubber-like in texture, and appear in many varieties. Each type has its own shape and properties and a wide variety of uses. As mentioned in the Ansem Reports in the binder, Gummi Blocks bond to each other quite easily when combined, as evident when creating Gummi Ships. The blocks themselves are very numerous and come in all shapes and sizes with properties attached to each. When added to Gummi Ships, they provide advantages such as improved armor, increased acceleration and greater firepower. I have quite a number of special add ons I've collected, including a warp drive and a few added lasers and cannons." I look to the Professor and I tell him, "Actually, I have all the extra blocks needed to make two more ships. So if you would like to experiment crafting one under my supervision, I'd love to let you try your hand William." The look the Professor gives me is full of boyish elation. "Really?! I'd be delighted if you would!" I nod as I have them stand next to me, wrapping my hand in Abel's as I tell them both, "All right then, this will take us directly to my ship. The light will envelope us and you'll be blinded, but when it dissipates we'll be on my ship. Get ready now, five... four..."

Abel squeezes my hand as the light envelopes us, but when I get to zero we're no longer in the cathedral but on my Gummi Ship. I give a huff as Abel practically crushes my hand. "And we're here. Welcome to my ship, I have named her the Sovereign Child. Now where did I set the disks..." The both of them openly gape around the cockpit as I move to the front console. I shift a few books and papers to find my disk case, grumbling as I search. "My bible... my recent manga series... music cd's... more music cd's... a few console games for down time... even more music cd's... where the blazes did I put them?!" I start chucking things off the desk and console in my frustration, books and cases going everywhere in the process. I throw an old shirt that was on the desk over my shoulder, which lands on Abel's head. The Professor chuckles at my aim, Abel grabbing the shirt to see how small it is. I note, "Yes, I know it's skin tight on me. But I love that shirt too much to get rid of it. I won it at a fair when I was 15 and I refuse to part with that memory for any reason." Abel goes wide eyed to ask me absently, "And how old are you now?!" I put my hands on my hips as I think. "It depends on if we've gone past November 26th or not." But then Abel surprises me when he tells me, "Megan, today IS November 26th." I go wide eyed at this news to exclaim, "What?! It can't be, it's not possible I turned 25 without knowing it!" The Professor assures me with an amused tone, "It is, my dear. Today is Novemebr 26th, since midnight was about twenty minutes ago." I smack myself in the face to exclaim, "Shitake mushrooms with horseradish and apple glaze! I can't believe I missed that! Dear Lord, I really am losing my mind if I lost track of my own birthday!" I sit in my pilot seat and bang my head to the desk repeatedly in mock fashion. "Where is my brain if it isn't in my skull? Probably slipped out to go on a well needed vacation, hopefully my mind will remember to send me a postcard with an added 'wish you were here' on the front." Both Abel and William burst out laughing at this, the sound of their mirth making me smile. I then shift my foot and feel a case that was under my desk topple over. I reach down and bring it up to say, "Here they are! No wonder I couldn't find them ON the desk where I put them!" I hand the case to William as he looks over my console with amazement. "Look at all this! It's spectacular!" I chuckle at his enthusiasm. "Thanks, I frankensteined most of it." He raises an eyebrow at me, and I ask, "You have read Frankenstein, haven't you?" He thinks for a moment. "I've read scads of books, my dear." I nod and say, "Maybe if I hum a few bars per say. It's a work of old science fiction by Mary Shelley in 1818, about a scientist by the name of Victor Frankenstein. He made a man and gave him life by piecing him together from fresh corpses and new unknown sciences. The man he created was deemed a monster after Victor had finished, shunning his newly found work as that of the devil and damning the individual he created. The so claimed monster was then hunted and shunned wherever he went, making him hate his creator and father who had so condemend him to loneliness, when Victor had found companionship and had married his love Elizabeth. The shunned monster sought Victor out to beg him for a companion, whom he refused to make. This made his creation kill his new bride the night of their wedding, forcing Victor to reanimate her to keep her with him. But she denies them both when she comes to, destroying herself and the lab in the process. Victor flees his home to wander to the frigid north, his creation following behind to then kill him in the wastelands. Hence the great work of fiction ends in tragedy, but it was the first of it's kind when it was penned. Though I'm sure the tale of Dracula is much more well known."

William laughs as I note, "I tried reading that, it put me to sleep each time I picked it back up. Besides, Bram Stoker didn't know what the real thing was like, not by a flipping long shot!" Both of them stare wide eyed at me as Abel asks, "You mean to tell me that monster really existed?!" I look up at him as my fear readily consumes me, and I shake uncontrollably at the memeory of that metting. "Oh yes Abel. As real as you or William before me. I have never been more scared in my entire life, that individual showed no trace of humanity left inside of it's shell when I ran into him. I questioned whether he even knew what it meant to be human when he was living and breathing. I've seen glimpses of what his life was like, along with his death, his shadowed existence on through the centuries, all of it played like an old movie reel I couldn't shut off in my head. Such a version of Hell and it's tortures and powers, I have never seen anything compare to it's all consuming darkness! Not even the Heartless can compete with such evil in the form of a sentient being of existence! Out of everything I have ever face in my twenty years, that meeting tops all my other nightmares combined!" I brush my hand over the console, files of information coming to the fore of the individual in question. Images pop up over the screen, a few of them video footage as both of them look and I start to tremble at the memory of meeting this evil in human guise. I bring up one video clip to the forefront, the man in the clip laughing manaically as he slaughters a platoon of guards with his bare hands. His voice sends a shiver of both fear and arousal at it's deep and rich tones, and I repeat the words automatically, "The bird of Hermes is my name, eating my wings to make me tame." I give a shiver as Abel puts a hand on me, and I grab his hand tight in response as I tell them, "If it wasn't for the binding spell on him, I'd have been very dead and in too many pieces to count when I ran into him. I have no idea how the fabled Van Hellsing bound that monster to serve his family line, but it worked. The current descendant, Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, has been using him as a trump card against his own kind, or the dregs that dare call themselves vampire where they reside. When I ran into him, he introduced himself as Alucard. But I knew who he really was, I could feel it in every fiber of my being who and what was standing over me. I openly screamed in sheer terror and scrambled back into a pile of wooden crates in the warehouse we were stanind in, making the vampire we were both hunting laugh at me. But I didn't dare move a finger against Alucard, even when he slammed his hand to the crates to pin me with his gaze. I knew full well if I showed any form of hostility, I'd be all his for the tasting. As such, the vampire we were hunting ended up catching us off guard. The scumball grabbed me to use as a shield against Alucard. But I thankfully told Alucard one thing to ensure he didn't impale me to get through to his target." Abel flinches as I continue, "I told him in flat out terms my answer to his turning me would be a resounding no, and that my death when it could be prevented would not please his master. I screamed at him to go for the joints, and then I wrenched the vampire's arm at the elbow to snap it. Alucard shot the other elbow clean off and I threw myself to the floor the moment I got the chance to let Alucard do whatever he wanted to our enemy. I heard the vampire scream before asking Alucard what he was exactly. I actually laughed when I answered him with my own question, 'What do you get when you spell Alucard backwards?' was the last thing that he heard before getting ripped to pieces." I type the name and swivel it, giving Abel and William the answer without words. The Professor frowns and notes for us, "Dracula. So that's how you knew who he was. Clever wordplay."

I openly snicker and state, "It was one of many things that fired through me in quick succession to come to that conslusion, William. The most damning was the sheer feel of Hell he'd had wrapped over him. We ended up joining forces to fight against the Heartless and the vampires that came calling, the Hellsing Organization opening it's doors to aid me in my crusade and providing me with boundless amounts of information in the process. I'd openly believe Alucard was Lucifer incarnate if I believed in such a fools notion, but he was once a man by the name Vlad Tepes. His abilities are uncanny, even by what I've seen. He does not age, although this is theoretically limited to the amount of humans he has devoured, which is a number in the millions by now. Others have difficulty wounding him, and when injured he reforms as if from living shadows. THAT actually impressed me when he did it the first time, since he'd been staked through with multiple blades and decapitated on top of it." I bring up other video clips to show them, and they watch in horrid fascination as I note, "As such, he apparently cannot be destroyed via decapitation or being staked through the chest as per the norm. He exhibits incredible accuracy when firing his twin large caliber handguns and is capable of accurately shooting targets while looking the other way. He can tear humans apart with ease and move faster than the eye can see, I didn't even register when he moved to impale the vampire behind me and I made sure not to blink. He is able to pass through walls, and is able to move up vertical surfaces. He shapeshifts into various forms, including bats, arthropods, demonic dogs, amorphous masses of darkness, and humanoid forms. He has telepathy, which scared me senseless the first time he used it on me since I have some practice with such. He can use hypnotism on those of weaker will than he has, I had to use every ounce of my own willpower to break it. Gave me a monster of a migraine to have me on the floor holding my head, but I impressed him enough for him not to use it on me again. He can absorb memories through blood, and he gave me a full interrogation in that way." Abel goes stock still at this bit with a look of stark terror on his face, but I wave a hand to dismiss the bad scenarios that such would bring to mind. "I had a gash in my shoulder Abel, I figured it would be the fastest way of explaining this whole Heartless debacle. Plus he got a meal out of it so the red wasn't wasted on the floor. I had intoned a sarastic comment to lighten the mood and settle my nerves, which got him laughing."

I go flush at the memory, recalling how I'd been terrified and yet entranced as he had slowly walked forward at my invitation. His laugh full of sinful mirth as his lips had met my flesh to taste me. I had openly flinched and cowered under his touch, but I found some sinful piece of me had wanted him to take me and make me his. I resisted by remembering how treading such a dark path had led me the opposite direction once before, how I had sworn never to do so ever again. I played the events of the Sovereign War in my head, reminding myself of what I had become in such sinful desires and how disgusted with myself I became after the war ended five years later. Alucard had gone stiff as my Shingan played the scenes out in full, and I knew he saw them as well through the crimson that was my lifes very currency. All was revealed in entirety, giving him all of my memories of my life in the process. I had even changed my visage for him during his drinking of me, the wings of red lacing over him like a lover as I revealed myself for what I had once been in my fallen state from God's grace. The minutes ticked by as he drank from me, letting him have all of my mind to judge me by. After the last bit of my past was given to his tasting, I collapsed in his arms from the copious amounts of blood I'd lost. My voice echoed in a haunted intonation as that of a spectred oracle. "Judge not what horrors are mine to bear, until thou has walked in mine skin and known mine own forged Hells of sins and misery." He'd openly stared at me once he'd finished feeding, holding me up to gaze into the orbs of ebony in my eye sockets. "Just what have you wrought, little fledgling? What sins are these that play over my tongue and in my mind? What have you done to yourself... Dark Slaughter indeed! Have I found my match for carnage in you, my crimson soaked pearl?" I'd grabbed him to steady myself, but ended up nearly falling over in my vehemence. "NO! NEVER AGAIN! I WILL NOT WILLINGLY DAMN MYSELF TWICE! NOT FOR ANY REASON IN THIS EXISTENCE WE CALL LIFE! NEVER AGAIN!" He looked at me in understanding, but I didn't find out why until later, since I'd half passed out in his arms by that point. But he laced his arms around me to gently lift me up, my wings falling apart in a sea of crimson feathers as my claws and eyes reverted. Even my teeth shifted back right away, leaving me pale and completely human again as he looked at me in quiet contemplation. He'd walked me out of the warehouse to place me before Sir Integra and tell her, "This one is quite the curiosity. I would advise my master to aid this Key Bearer in her task against the evils that manifests from the shadows like vermin." She had noted the blood on his lips to shout at him in vehemence, to then look to me and I whispered, "He didn't pierce me. I offered a method of giving simple truth in entirety. I'd appreciate any help you might provide me, but first I'd like to pass out now." I then did just that as Integra's butler Walter placed a hand to my bleeding shoulder, calling to the medics to get me help.

I blink a few times to bring myself back to the present, shaking my head as I say, "Whoop, fell back into the past on that one, sorry. But even it's recollection makes me wonder how much Alucard changed after I let him know me by my actions along with my blood. He was very respectful towards me after a few days of us working together, since my terror of him was apparent. He even sat with me out during the day for a few hours to have a private conversation with me. Since he's immune to sunlight and I was going nuts with asking myself questions about him. I lost much of my fear of him during our long discussion, which helped us work together better. Since I was so certain he could wipe me off the map with all the power he could muster at the drop of his fedora before we talked. Apparently, his full power is restrained by a series of seals, known as the Control Art Restriction System. Alucard can release the seals up to Level 1, but only Integra Hellsing can release Level 0, the final seal. Once all his seals are removed, he can unleash the full power of all the souls he has devoured, effectively summoning them all under his control. Was very impressive to picture him in the old armor and sword he wore when he was counted amongst the living. Alucard openly taunts and belittles his opponents as well, allowing them to inflict wounds before healing and retaliating in fashion. His lust for battle is fueled by an all consuming desire to find an opponent powerful enough to end his eternal life, though he wishes only to be slain by a human. 'Since man is the only creature able to rid the world of monsters' as he told me. To which I told him that left me out of the running, since I'm a woman and not completely considered human anymore, at least to myself. He actually looked sad when I told him I would never want to raise my hand against him, since I don't fight those I have fought alongside. I made it clear it was not my purpose to end him, being chained to a good cause as he is now. But if he was ever to let loose all his power to lay waste to the innocent, I told him I'd come back and use all I have to end his existence. He made me swear on that, and I gave him my word willingly to do such if I was still able to fight."

I prop my feet on the console at this, "If anyone has a right to utterly consuming depression, it is one who has been damned to be chained in such a purgatory for uncounted amounts of time like he has. It can be said that Alucard considers vampirism a step down from humanity, and regrets the choice in becoming one. Underneath his cocky, arrogant attitude, Alucard seems deeply sad and envious of humans to me. Mortals are blessed with the gift of death and moving on, while he himself is unable to die and must walk the Earth until the hands of time cease to tick. It was very clear to me he regrets his decision to become an immortal monster, and that he has great respect for humans who have the willpower to endure beyond normal capacities. He openly admitted that to me, which I wasn't that surprised when he said such. I cited what Arthur Hellsing had said about Alucard and others like him, 'For what they all seem to seek is to wage war, and endless desperate, blood-stained struggles. Things quite close to crying loudly. I do not think they desire those things at all. On the contrary, all of this is their way of shouting and begging for death.' I tried really hard not to give him a pitying look, but I'm sure he knew what I was thinking. He had fed from me quite generously, so he'd have my thoughts rattling around to take cues from. I jumped into what I was thinking anyways, figuring it would be redundant not to be completely honest. I told him that even though I was in the same boat on that aspect, I believed as long as one exists in this life, they can actively find some form of redemption. I was aware of his rocky standings with religion, but I dove in anyways on the debate. Another important aspect of Alucard's personality is his relationship with God. As a human, he was raised by the Turks as a prisoner, contrary to the belief that he was a knight who fought against the Muslim Turks to spread Christianity. As a warrior, he believed that words alone were not enough, that one must accomplish deeds in order to attract God's attention. In accordance with this belief, he never asked God for favors, but instead did many great and terrible things. He became famous and feared for punishing evildoers and those who opposed his methods, for waging a war against the Muslims in hopes of bringing down 'the New Jerusalem,' and for sacrificing his troops and his own people to achieve his goals. He believed that, if he and his men put forth great enough effort and sacrificed enough, that God himself would intervene on their behalf. But when he lost his war and was taken prisoner by the Turks, he realized that he had failed. Feeling abandoned by God, he then abandoned God in turn. In a moment of perfect despair before his execution, he drank up the blood of his scorched and besieged homeland and most likely became a vampire in that manner. Maybe that's why he later quietly invaded England with intentions of conquest, a way of avenging himself against God. I realized after seeing a bit of his past with my own power, his hate against God later detiorated to not caring about God at all. To me that was the most depressing part of that whole analogy, and I told him such with tears in my eyes. Since I know and truly believe I wouldn't have had the strength to get this far without God providing for me when really needed. I admitted that it is only when we surrender to God out of love for Him and what He provides does He then show us favor in our evident humility."

I snicker as I remember telling him all this, my Shingan working over my eyes yet again as I told him what I could see and the conclusions I came to in their viewing. He'd watched my silver eyes swivel around to watch what unfolded in my mind, waiting until they had gone back to green before openly telling me off. "He scoffed at me after I was done, claiming me to be a sentimental idiot. To which I shot back it's better than feeling nothing but misery and regret, as his actions and mindset would attest. That shut him up real quick as I told him off in turn, 'You know my mind now, as well as my heart and what broke me. Only one other could have made such a claim in knowing fully who I am in this manner, and he is gone from this existence. If what little bit of light my offering to you helps you find some contentment, I'll be heartened that I gave you all of my past to keep with you. I belong to a Lord whom loves all, the day I stop believing in His divinity of equality in love is the day I cease to exist. Whether my body follows suit or if my mind is shattered along with my heart, my soul will always hold this to be true. It is the only salvation I have asked for and been granted, and it is enough to weather the storms that come. In this, maybe you might find a way back to being more than what you are now. It is a simple yet taxing thing, but all it comes down to is a matter of choice. You don't have to give me any form of response, but at least you'll know the truth of it from my own voice to go along with the rest.' He told me I was being a ridiculous dreamer, and he was digusted I could make such a thing sound so simple. But he did tell me he admired me, and that made me fall over in shock. He was being truthful, I could tell in the way he looked at me. He said it was rare to find one who would openly give truth and respect regardless of their fear and knowledge of how the other party would regard such. He said I deserved my name sake as a child of light, and he actually emphasized it by bowing before me in recognition. He then proceeded to flatter me with noting I would have been a cherished woman if he ever had been able to acquire me from God. Which made me flush all over, muttering how sin is perfect to tempt in design and its purpose to ensorcell to make him laugh at my analogy. By the time I left, we had earned each others respect both in battle and in matters of confidence. But I willing admit he still scares me senseless with what he is able to do. I don't EVER want to have to fight him for ANY reason!" I look up at Abel and tell him, "You two would also be in that category now, though for entirely different reasons. Granted, if the Vatican turns out to be full of people using the name of God for their own ends, I'll gladly go against whoever is dumb enough to attack me for not going with the flow like a brainless sheep. I do not put up with bullies and tyrants, I don't care if they claim to be king of the world or a unicorn that prances about making rainbows for children. I serve the Lord first and only the Lord God Almighty may command me. Though even God has a trying time getting me to not charge ahead without watching where I'm going."

The Professor laughs at this bit, and I clear the screen of the files and videos to bring up the navigations and piloting programs. I have the Professor sit as my copilot to my left as Abel sits in the other seat to my right. I go through my checklist of system operations, flicking a few switches to make sure everything is working right. "Check, check, yep, that seems to be working, remind me I need to have the warp drive checked since I will forget. Check. Wait a minute, Abel is that you growling at me or your stomach?" Abel looks up at me and I get my answer in the form of his stomach rumbling loud enough for all three of us to hear. I whack my face with my checklist and laugh, "That would be a yes. Hang on, I have some food stuffs around here somewhere." I get out of my seat and head for my pantry in the corner, going down the shelves to find something. "Crackers, mixed nuts, tortilla chips, there's jerky here also. A few cans of peaches are here too, along with some packages of ramen noodles. I thought I had more than this? Oh well, here." I hand him the mixed nuts and an opened can of peaches with a fork. I toss the Professor the jerky and a can of iced coffee I had in the corner. He catches the can and jumps. "Oh! That's cold! I thought you got this out of the pantry?" I smile and hold up my hand, which is frosted over with ice magic. "I did, but I chilled it for you. See?" He nods and smiles. "Impressive, thank you." I bow my head to him. "Your very welcome, William. I take joy in the serving of others whom I call friend." He smiles at me, and I note I haven't eaten yet. I go back to the pantry and rummage around a bit, grabbing another can of peaches to open and pop a few in my mouth. "Mmm, I'd rather have nectarines. But these will do in the meantime." I walk back over to sit down and the steering comes up for me. I clutch the steering column with each hand, flexing my fingers beforehand to tell them, "I'm not going to fly too fast, that way you both can enjoy the view. Now, where is the Iron Maiden located so we can- Oh, there it is. Shouldn't take too long in getting there. Okay, here we go. Buckle in and enjoy the ride." I bring the Sovereign Child into the air, it's hull gleaming in blues and silvers as I turn it slowly around. I enjoy the shouts of wonder the both of them give, taking great pride in this vessel I built to sail me through the stars. The wings gleam and the engine hums as I bring us up, turning us in a wide arc over the cathedral for them. I then have the Sovereign Child ascend further up, going into the cloud cover for a moment. But then the clouds disperse and the entire city is laid out before us, the river snaking through it's center as the belltower chimes the hour in majestic tones of resonance. The Professor points out landmarks and Abel gets out of his seat to look, making me slow down more so he doesn't get jostled too much. I look around a bit to note where the Iron Maiden is on my screens, then I see her in all her glory out over the open ocean. I tell them, "We'll do a tour of the city later if you like, or we could have William pilot later if we go back to Rome. That way I can enjoy the view right along with you guys. But we've made Sister Kate wait long enough in my book. Abel, get back in your seat." But he walks over and holds out the fork with a few peaches on it for me. "First, have this. My stomach isn't the only one making noise." I snicker and give him a wide grin, then I eat the peaches he had out for me.

We get close to the Iron Maiden in five minutes or so, the two of them finishing the snacks I provided as I steer. I note that the ride isn't as smooth as usual, like there's extra weight on the frame. I tell the Professor, "William. I'm noting something is off. Would you tell Sister Kate we might have a problem hiding outside under the wings to my-" But the I feel the entire ship shake from an explosion. I hear an alarm go off as I note how much damage was actually done, looking over the scans the computer provides with a frown. "Well, that was a bit unexpected. William, take the wheel for me. I want to go out and make sure we don't have any more of those on the hull. I brought up directions on steering to your right hand side. Left trigger button for lasers, right trigger for cannons. Do NOT click the red buttons!" I punch my Armor Seal to my frame and get out of the seat, the Professor taking over the controls as Abel says, "Are you sure about-" I shake my head at him to tell him no, but I head out anyways. My dragoon wings catch the air and I spin up and around to where the explosion was located, noting the paint job is ruined and only minor damage to the hull. But I note several pieces of the wing have come unglued, so I perch myself to the wing and run my magic over it to reseal the wing back into place. I go over the ship with painstaking detail, crawling about like a spider along one end to then fly over to the other side. I find three more bombs attached to the other three wings, and I detatch each to then toss them away from the ship before I blow them with Fire magic. I find two more attached to the cannons and my lasers, removing them and blowing them in the same fashion. I even find one larger one lodged in where the engine connects to the propulsion system, taking my time at getting it out so as not to have it blow on me. My headset comes on as I work, the crackle a bit distracting as Abel asks me, "Megan? You all right out there?" I give a growl as I curse in Al Bhed, "Tysh ed ymm du Ramm eh y ryhtpycgad! This last one may take a minute, I don't want it blowing the engine out of the frame! I'll strangle whoever did this to my vessel, then I'll bang their head against the floor for emphasis! Cred! Sudran-" Abel stops me from using more volatile language by asking me, "What are you shouting? I can't understand you?" I laugh at this point to state, "It's a language I picked up on Spira, it's called Al Bhed. I was using it so you wouldn't take offense at my openly swearing like a sailor at sea. The first bit was 'Damn it all to Hell in a handbasket' but the rest was going to be more searing. There's half of it off, now for the other wires. William, you listening in on this?" I hear more static as William answers. "Yes, though I am appalled you'd curse in any language." I chuckle at this statement to say, "Be glad I took you two into consideration while I started my hissy fit, I don't curb my tongue for anybody. I need you to turn the ship slightly to... is it your left or my left? Heck, let's make it your left." He oblidges me and I am able to reach the other wires, taking the bomb out and clutching it under my arm. "Baylro! Peachy keen! Okay, level it and I'll give you a chance for some target practice!"

He levels the ship and I climb up to stand in front of the windshield. I point to the lasers and then toss the bomb for emphasis, and the Professor grins at me as Abel squacks. I lace some glowing lights over the bomb to make it easier for him to track it, then I whirl around a few times to chuck it out over the ocean as far as I can. The bomb goes sailing and I hear the lasers fire away, the bomb exploding out a full display of fire and shrapnel as I throw a fist into the air. "Whoohah! Perfect shot! Nice aim, William! Maybe later I can set up an obstacle course for you to try your hand at!" His laugh echoes through my head set, but we are then interrupted by Sister Kate. "Just what the devil are you three doing out there?!" I flinch at the vloume of her shout. "Getting bombs off my ship before they blew us to paste. Someone wanted my ship destroyed with me in it, and I'm going to butcher whoever did so! I spent hours planning out this model and putting it together, I even detailed the paint job, which is now crispy and smoldering in places! Get the hangar open for William, please. I'll let him land it so I can make sure the wing stays on. William, it has a self help guidance system for landings since I have trouble finding level terrain for purchase. Just go slow and don't knock me off the hull." Sister Kate squacks at this news to exclaim, "You mean to tell me you let William pilot for you?!" I laugh and tell her, "Well, it was either let him pilot or have the bombs rip the ship to confetti. I don't mind really, these things are build to be easy to fly, even a six year old can build and fly these things. I just added in a ton of extras in mine that make it more complicated." I see the back hangar open and William eases us up to the Iron Maiden, the damaged wing barely clipping the opening as we sail in. I snarl as I note that wing gets a crack through it, and I climb over to see the bomb did more damage than I thought. The Sovereign Child lands without so much as a jostle, but I'm openly fuming as the wing cracks several more times. "NO, NO, NO! STOP CRACKING LIKE THAT! TYSH ED! TYSH ED! TYSH ED YMM DU RAMM!" I am then rewarded by the wing coming completely off to shatter over the floor of the hangar and I shriek. "AUGH! Everyone turn off your headsets before you hear me start swearing vehemently!" I hear three beeps and start cursing and swearing in both English and Al Bhed as I stomp up and down on the front hull of my ship, flinging my arms around for emphasis as I work my anger out with words. Both Abel and William exit the craft as I continue to fume, my dragoon wings shivering on my frame as I scream and shout with abandon. But then I note the yellow smoke coming out of my bag in Abels' hands, so I point to it to summon my mirror out and into my waiting hand. I trace my finger over the suface and call out to them, "I have a communication I have to answer, you two head out while I take this!" Abel and William nod as Tres walks in from the corridor they were headed into. I look into the mirror and shout out, "NOT a good time, Nicholas! But hopefully you can help me calm down before I kill something!"

There in my mirror is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, his eyes going wide behind his sunglasses as he says, "I could feel you were angry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I start shouting again. "Okay?! OKAY?! Someone had the balls to put bombs on the Sovereign Child! MY BEST GUMMI SHIP, NICHOLAS! The one I spent hours building and gave blood, sweat, and tears to get perfect! What was once just mild damage is now one whole wing section that just crumbled away to fall into pieces! I AM GOING TO GUT THE BASTARDS! I SWEAR TO GOD THEY'LL PAY FOR THIS! It took nine whole Gummi Blocks to make that one wing, NINE GUMMI BLOCKS! I only have four to make a replacement! As such, I have to realign the whole wing system now, which will take hours if not days in my OCD need to make it look just right! VILG ED YMM UH JEPNYDA!" Wolfwood chokes on that bit, since I have taught him some Al Bhed to let him know when I'm being secretive and when I'm openly pissed off. "Whoah, whoah, whoah! Megan, breathe already!" I start shouting at him at this point. "Don't you DARE tell me what to do, Tovaras! I'll fume if I want, and you telling me what I should do IS NOT HELPING! Either do something useful, or leave me to my temper tantrum!" But then he does help, lacing his aura over me in warm notes of sweet brandy as the yellow snakes over my frame inside my armor. My air hitches at the sensation, making me shiver all over as he tells me, "Sit still already, or you're going to have your head come clean off. Just breathe for me, okay?" I lean back and take a few deep breaths, holding them in as his magic traces over me. I can almost feel his fingers touch my skin, first along my shoulders to then lace down my arms and back up to rest at my neck. I moan in pleasure as his magic tickles my senses. "Mmmm... Okay... That is what I call helping... Mmmm! Oh... much better... AH!" His touch traces down my chest, tingling in it's heat as if his hands were placed to my heart. My frame floats into the air at the sensation, every part of me seeming to drown in sweet brandy and sunlight. My armor fades away back into my Armor Seal, my hair coming to float around me as I shiver. "Oh boy! Now I'm excited for whole other reasons... Great way to land me in hot water, since I'm dealing with members of the clergy at the moment..." Wolfwood laughs at this news to ask in a heated tone, "Did you want me to stop, then?" I snicker at the implications behind his question. "Far from it and you know that! Vash was right, you will be the one priest that will lead me headfirst into damnation. But I'd have it no other way, Tovaras."

The both of us laugh as I wrap my aura over him in turn, tracing the lavender of my scent over his skin. He jerks at the contact, my touch tracing all over him in seconds to wrap him in my power and my love. I then take my power further to bury the magic deep through his chest, alighting the sensations into his lungs as well as his heart. His eyes go wide at the sensation, going down on one knee to exclaim, "Oh damn! Megan?! What did you just- AUGH!" My touch traces over the chambers of his heart, soaking the pace in warmth and wonderous pleasure. His air cuts out as my spell laces through him, the tortured enjoyment evident as he chokes out, "Ah! Oh hot DAMN! AH! Dear God, what are you doing?! AUGH, MEGAN! I think my heart just gave out!" I laugh at this as he chokes and shivers, my touch tracing over the pumping in his chest as I intone in wicked mirth, "Considering what I hold in my thrall, I can assure you that isn't the case. You started this, Tovaras. I just chose to up the anty to then finish it with flourish." His heart skips a beat as I strengthen the sensation of the spell, and he clutches a hand to his heart as he pants and trembles. "Shee-it, Megan! It's too much! Stop, or I'll have a heart attack!" I laugh again. "No worries, my love. What pleasure might halt, I will instantly rekindle. I want you to feel every bit of this, for each contraction of your heart to course this feeling of love through your entire frame." My intentions are clear with my words that come next, his eyes going wide as I say, "This is what it means to use ones magic to make love to anothers soul. Each beat of thine heart, each breath thy shall take, all shall lace mine love and mine power through thee in an offering without equal. It is the most intimate form of magic I know, and it will be used to send you to the greatest joy that I might freely give." His eyes go as wide as allowed as I continue my casting, his eyes rolling back as the other hand about crushes the mirror. "You- AUGH! Oh Lord! AH! This- Oh God! AUGH!" I give him my most wicked smile as I say, "You are at my mercy, my golden wolf. It is a well know proverb, when you have your opponent's heart, you have them by the throat." My touch deepens into the chambers of his heart instead of just along the outer muscle tissue, and he entire frame goes completely limp in the bed he's on as he chokes and shudders all over. "GHAH! OH GOD! MERCY ALREADY! PLEASE! YOU WIN! MERCY!" My laugh is evident as I lighten my hold, his heart thundering vehemently and his air coming in hard drags as he rolls over to exclaim, "Lord God Almighty! That is just dirty on so many levels! You sinful woman, and you didn't even actually touch me! I never knew you could do this kind of intricate spellwork from such a long distance!" My aura kisses over his heart before I let go. "We are bonded, Nicholas. No borders or boundaries can ever diminish the hold we have over each other. I know full well you can do the exact same thing to me, you just haven't seen fit to do so yet. Ever the gentleman, but I enjoy giving such love in abundance. I think that was more than enough to make my love for you clear." He gives a loud and hard bark of a laugh. "You did more than that! I never believed that there was something more intricate than the physical aspects of intimacy!" I smile at this to state for him, "I wouldn't know. I have never given myself over to anyone in such a manner. Heck, no one's even seen fit to do to me what I just did to you! But I've been going crazy without you and Vash, so having you give a bare touch sent me overboard." He gives me a stunned look as he asks me to my surprise, "You've never done that to anyone before?!' I shake my head. "Nope. I've seen it done as a form of lovemaking in spirit, but it's even more flooring when done with the physical. But I think I went to far on this. I apologize for-" But Wolfwood cuts me off to declare with vehemence, "Far from it! This just makes me more adamant at making you mine! That's it, I'm taking back that gift to get a ring!" I freezeas i note what he said to say, "Wait. What, you have a gift for me?"

He smacks himself in the head at this point. "Argh! Blast you! That was supposed to be a surprise!" I blink a few times as I realize what he means. "Wait a minute... you knew it was my birthday? But I didn't tell you when my birthday is, so how did you know? I didn't even tell Vash, so it couldn't have been him." But Wolfwood shakes his head. "No, he did tell me. He found out one night when he was wandering inside your head while you slept. He also found out why you didn't want to tell us." I sigh at this point to hang my head down. "So he saw my 21st birthday then, is that it?" Wolfwood nods. "Yeah. He told me why you'd been crying in your sleep, how you ended up saying your final goodbyes to your grandfather that day. He saw the whole thing in detail, and only gave me cliff notes to clue me in. I was going to wait until the start of December and slip it into that adjoining pouch you made in our bags to transfer things to each other. But since the surprise is ruined, I'll just do something different." His aura wraps over my wrist, sparkling lights coming around it to then flash so bright I bring my other hand up to shield my eyes. But when I look back down, I see a beautiful bracelet of finely woven metals. I give an audible gasp as I gaze at it, the band winking in the light with embedded stars of varying hues. I float the mirror in front of me to free my other hand up, placing my fingers to the bracelet and noting the traces of sweet brandy woven permanently into it. Wolfwood starts to tell me, "I saw it and I just had to get it for you, even though it-" But I cut him off with a whisper, "You made this..." He goes stock still as I continue. "You didn't buy this, you made it. You wove three different metals for each section of the braid and created the gems from melted sand, coloring them with your aura as you braided the metals together. But this center gem in the middle, what did you-" I then finger the gem and my eyes go silver as I see how he made it with my activated Shingan. I watch as he sits in his hotel room with his materials on the table, at least six failed attempts strewn over it's surface as he curses and tosses the seventh one into the discard pile. He sits there fuming with a cigarette in his mouth for a few moments, but then he gets an idea. He grabs all seven bracelets to melt them together into one compact gem of ebony black, the heat of the casting lacing over his fingers and making him drop the gem to the table for a moment. The rest of the braclet he works over the gem, lacing his magic around it to add the stars in the braiding with detail. I feel tears trace down my eyes as the vision fades and I ask him, "How many hours did you spend making me this for me, exactly?" He gives me a knowing smile, "From idea to full finished detail, I'd say about five days. Granted I don't have as much energy as you do, so it took a bit of work. But I got it finished about an hour ago." I look into the mirror at this point to say to him, "You must be exhausted then. Hence why I'm noting you're already in bed when you called." He sighs and nods to ask me, "Well, is it acceptable enough for me to pass my crafting test from you?" I give a sniff and smile as I nod my head. "I'll never take this bracelet off. You have my word, I will treasure this well made gift of love from you, Nicholas. Thank you."


End file.
